172 replies to this topic

[drtrmiller]

Those "chunks " are only 1 CC. They're not that big. Each packet yields 35 CC, so 5 weeks if you feed one a day, or, put another way, less than $0.12 per feeding. The byFormica EasyPrep Silicone Mold easily divides the prepared food into 35, 1 CC sections.

 

You absolutely want to feed at least 1 CC chunks, especially if they're in a larger area that is exposed to dry air that will rapidly dry out the gel. Ants won't be as attracted to dried out gel.

 

It's only acceptable to feed smaller amounts if you're placing it inside a test tube, which I've done, but generally recommend against.

[drtrmiller]

You should probably just prepare half the bag then instead of all of it.

 

I was asked about this either here or via PM.

 

To reiterate, I don't recommend preparing half a bag, as it stores perfectly fine in the refrigerator for 1-2 months, and also it's difficult to account for the water loss during cooking, not to mention accurately measuring 2.5 g of a 5 g packet.  

 

It's just not worth risking an imbalance in the moisture content, which has proven to be a critical indicator of viability.

 

Everything is designed to be prepared according to the written instructions, and no other way, except at the user's own risk.

Edited by drtrmiller, October 20 2014 - 3:44 PM.

[dean_k]

Yes, I did ask him about using half a bag instead of full. I am not going to argue against the creator and used full bag for Aqua 300.

 

By the way, these ... smell pretty nice. I almost tried it out.

 

A minor update: Queens' gasters have become significantly bigger. I guess they were fed the stuff.

Edited by dean_k, October 20 2014 - 3:45 PM.

[dean_k]

I've put them in hibernation today.

 

I will take them out by end of January.

[dspdrew]

Yes, I did ask him about using half a bag instead of full. I am not going to argue against the creator and used full bag for Aqua 300.

 

By the way, these ... smell pretty nice. I almost tried it out.

 

A minor update: Queens' gasters have become significantly bigger. I guess they were fed the stuff.

Smells like someone just baked a cake doesn't it?

[dean_k]

Yep. I am pretty sure people will eat them as long as I don't tell them it's ant food.

[Gregory2455]

"Here, come try this yummy cake flavored Jello Candy!"

Edited by Gregory2455, October 25 2014 - 8:45 PM.

[dean_k]

I've actually taken them out of my fridge a week ago because I noticed a file of eggs that wasn't there before I put them in the fridge.

 

 

From the video, you can see the new file of eggs by the blue foam. I think the queens are still lying eggs from the look of it. They were supposed be in hibernation for 3 months. I am going to see how larvae developments fare and put them back in the fridge again.

 

 

Meanwhile, I have a concern. Some of workers have been dying. So far, 4 ants died. Not all at once.First one died not long after I got the colony from Crystals. Second died about a month ago. Third died few weeks ago, and forth died today. All of them share similar symptoms.

 

First symptom is that they lose control of their 2 front legs.

Second, they go to the outworld and stay by furthest corner and just sit there until they die. Other ants didn't bother them.

 

The food I've been feeding them has been pretty much the same. Either Byformica food or hummingbird nectar + zoo med mealworms.  I am at loss of the cause. I know ant workers are not long-lived. Could they have died of old age?

Edited by dean_k, November 14 2014 - 9:23 PM.

[drtrmiller]

All workers will die sooner or later.  At the infrequent rate you're describing, the cause of death is impossible to determine.  You should only worry if you experience an acute and sudden die-off of many of your ants, as dspdrew did recently when using a toxic substance in an experimental formicarium.

 

I'm not sure if you should take them out of hibernation—other members will need to share their thoughts on that.  

 

Just keep doing what you're doing and keep us posted as to the progress.

Edited by drtrmiller, November 14 2014 - 9:30 PM.

[dean_k]

I'm not sure if you should take them out of hibernation—other members will need to share their thoughts on that.  

 

 

Even in real world, temp go from zero to mid 10 celsius sometimes. At least, in the area I live, it does. It was near zero Celsius for a whole week and then I had few mild days where it went up to near 20 Celsius.

It shouldn't be an issue.

[dean_k]

An update on the death situation.

 

2 more workers were found crippled after careful inspection of all ants via usb microscope. After backtracking, I came to a conclusion that tap water used in hummingbird nectar is the root cause. The conclusion was based on a fact that only foragers were affected. Ants in queen's chamber are all fine.

The crippled ants act fine except that they can't clean their antennae properly. They spend a lot of time trying to clean their antennae and because their two front legs don't work, they just keep swinging their antennae in air. Eventually, they manage with their middle legs, falling a lot onto ground in progress.

 

I removed the nectar 2 days ago and remaining ants seem fine. But the colony has pretty much over half of its foragers crippled (some of which died as mentioned in my previous post), but it seems few from queen's chamber have stepped up and became foragers.

 

Good news is that I see a pupa around 6:29

 

 

Strange news is that both egg and pupa came while they were in my fridge. A queen laid her eggs in the fridge and a larva turned into a pupa while it was in the fridge. I am starting to think that this Myrmica colony does not care about hibernation.

 

FYI, the temp in the fridge is 5c.

[drtrmiller]

I skipped through the video and couldn't see what you were talking about with any sickly ants.

 

How can you be sure that your tap water was poison?  That would be alarming if it indeed caused illness in the ants.  You say only foragers were affected, but the foragers would share any food via trophallaxis to nestmates.  This fact is what makes insecticides so effective.

[Crystals]

How can you be sure that your tap water was poison?  That would be alarming if it indeed caused illness in the ants.  You say only foragers were affected, but the foragers would share any food via trophallaxis to nestmates.  This fact is what makes insecticides so effective.

 

Chlorine and chloramine are dangerous for fish and insects and either one or the other are usually found in city/town tap water.  You can try bottled water, it would take them forever to go through a bottle. 

Foragers are usually the most affected by any chemical in the outworld, from aerosol sprays and airborne chemicals.  The fact that it only incapacitated the front legs shows that whatever it was, it is a very low concentration.  Or it could simply be age, some those workers were at least 8 months old when I gave them to you.

 

I would simply be very careful of any sprays being used in the same room as the colony and see if the trend continues.

[dean_k]

Byformica's food was made with bottled water.

 

For some reason, I chose to make hummingbird nectar with tap water. The nectar was introduced to them about a month ago. I am sure whatever it was must have been a low dose and it seemed to have taken its time before affecting the ants.

 

Their only recent addition to diet was the hummingbird nectar which I included in their nest when I placed them in my fridge also just in case foragers went out foraging.

 

But then again it could be old age in addition to whatever poison it was.

[dean_k]

 

I skipped through the video and couldn't see what you were talking about with any sickly ants.

 

How can you be sure that your tap water was poison?  That would be alarming if it indeed caused illness in the ants.  You say only foragers were affected, but the foragers would share any food via trophallaxis to nestmates.  This fact is what makes insecticides so effective.

 

I forgot to mention that I took the sickly ants out of the nest because, as you say, they share food and they weren't doing anything other than just trying to clean their antennae.

 

They just stood idle and eventually curled up dead, so the death count is up to 6 now 4 of which occurred in a span of a month.

[Myrmicinae]

Yeah - tap water can be problematic.  I used to use it quite a bit, but stopping seems to have decreased death rates immensely.  Another commonly used material that I have found to have adverse effects is non-organic cotton.

[dermy]

Can't you dechloirnate tap water? I thought if you leaved it out in an open container or glass for 24-48hrs that the Chlorine "evaporates" and then it's safe for ants and stuff?

[Myrmicinae]

Can't you dechloirnate tap water? I thought if you leaved it out in an open container or glass for 24-48hrs that the Chlorine "evaporates" and then it's safe for ants and stuff?

 

That is true, but certain chemicals in tap water will not evaporate.  I think fluoride is one of those.

Edited by Myrmicinae, November 17 2014 - 11:08 AM.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, there's all sorts of toxic crap in tap water. Stay away from it.

[drtrmiller]

It depends where you live.  

 

Here, my TDS (total dissolved solids) meter measures less than 10 PPM (parts per million) impurities, whereas average tap water contains between 150 and 250 PPM minerals and other stuff.  Even bottled water is usually pretty high, since minerals are often added to the water, and most bottled water comes from municipal water sources, anyways.

 

Distilled water measures 0 PPM out of the bottle, but when left in a borosilicate glass beaker for several hours exposed to air, measures up to 3 PPM.

 

The point is, that I can use my tap water here, and always do, without issue.  If you live in a place where you can set the water on fire, you should probably keep it away from your ants, however.

Edited by drtrmiller, November 17 2014 - 2:46 PM.